Log-clamp.



oo 0 9 V 6 2 M M D E T E T A P N W. P mM KA mm G z m W APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

UNITED STATES PATENT ornron.

LOG-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed August ll), 1907. Serial No. 388,020.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Z. VILKIN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Head of Island, in the parish of Livingston and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Log-Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it. appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved device for securing the ends of logs, or other bodies that are to be towed or dragged, to a tow line or cable, and inusing the term tow and logs, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the pulling of logs along through the water.

Broadly the invention resides in means for securing a chain around the end of a log or similar body, and consists of a clamping member having a cam surface adapted to en gage the log and cooperating with a chain passed around the log to tighten or release said chain therearound, as may be desired, the chain being adapted to be secured at one end to said clamping member on one side of said cam surface, and at its other end after being passed around the log being adapted to be detachably and adjustably secured to said clamp'member at a position beyond the cam surface.

While the invention is not restricted to the exact details shown and described, still for the purpose of disclosure reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical embodiment of the same, in which ike letters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a sectional view through a log showing my clamping means securing a chain thereon, the position of the clamping memher being shown in dotted lines when the chain is to be released, and full lines when the chain is tightened. Fig. 2 is a view looking fromthe rear or lower end of the clamp member, a part of the solid portion of the clamp member being-broken away to show the transverse recess formed therein. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the clamp member illustrating the method of securing the detachable end of the chain thereon. Fig. l is an elevation of a pivoted tooth for biting the log. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the clamp member showing the relative positions of the clamp member and chain with reference to the log when the chain is initially placed around the log, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the clamp member.

1 designates a log, 2 a chain, and 3 the clamp member cooperating therewith. This clamp member, as clearly shown, comprises the solid portion 4 cut away on its underneath face forming a longitudinally-extend ing angularly-disposed recess having a restricted portion 5 and an enlarged portion 6, the enlarged portion 6 of said recess terminating at its side walls in the cam surface 7. The rear or lower end of the clamp member is provided with a slot 8 centrally of but op posite said cam members, which slotcommunicates with the ortion 6 of the recess.

Intersecting and pre erably extending transshown in Fig. 5, and subsequently a portion of the chain being adapted to seat Within the recess portion 5 of the clamp member when the same is forced down towards the log.

To prevent any back slipping of the chain, if desirable abiting tooth 1 1 may be employed, and as illustrated in Fig. 4 this tooth is cut away as at 12, and is provided with a recess 13 adapted to fit around a portion of a link, and said tooth being also provided with apertures 14 above said recess to receive a ring or other locking member 15 to prevent the displacement of the tooth of the link. Also the chain may be provided with a link 16 for affording a means to attach the towing cable or for the pur ose of connecting several logs alongside 0' each other. Similarly a chain 17 may be provided on the clamp member, which chain may have a hook thereon (not shown), and may be adapted either to secure several logs alongside of each other, or which may be used to hook onto the towing cable.

n operation, it will be obvious that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, the free end of the chain may be easily threaded into the slot 8 with the next adj a cent outer link seated in the transverse recess 9, and the farther to the left that the clamp member is thrown the easier will it be to insert the chain. When the chain has been so inserted and drawn partly taut v around the log it will be obvious that upon forcing said clamp inwardly and downwardly into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the action of the cam surface 7 will securely tighten the chain around the log. The clamp may be operated by a lever 18.

If several logs are to be towed or dragged side by side they may be connected transversely through the medium of the links 16 or the chain 17 It will also be understood that the invention is not restricted to the use of a chain, the word chain being intended to cover any other suitable binding means.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a clamp member, comprising a single element, having a cam surface at one end adapted to engage the load, of a chain secured to said clamp member at one side of said cam surface, and means for securing the free end of said chain to said clamp member on the opposite side of said cam surface, whereby when the free end of said clamp member is moved towards the load, the cam surface will cooperate to securely bind the chain to the load, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a clamp member, comprising a single element, having an enlarged end provided with a cam surface adapted to engage the load, of a chain secured to said clamp member at one side of said cam surface, said clamp member being provided with an opening, passing through said enlarged end, adapted to receive the free end of said chain, and means for securing the free end of said chain to said clamp member on the opposite side of said cam surface, whereby when the free end of said clamp member is moved towards the load, the cam surface will cooperate to securely bind the chain to the load, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a clamp member, provided at one end with an enlarged cam portion, said cam portion having an undercut recess extending longitudinally through same, of a chain secured to said clamp member at one side of said cam portion and adapted to be passed around the load and at its free end passed through said recess, and means for detachably securing the free end of the chain to said clamp member on the other side of said cam portion, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a clamp member comprising a solid portion having an undercut recessed edge terminating in a cam surface, a slot being out in the opposite edge of said member and communicating with the undercut recess, of a chain connected to said clamp member and at its free end adapted to be passed around a log and detachably secured within said slot, whereby upon the operation of said clamp member said chain is tightened or released around the log, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a clamping member comprising a solid ortion having a cutaway recess on one ec ge terminating in a cam surface, and being provided with a slot opposite said cam surface communicating with said recess, a recess being also formed in said solid portion above said slot. and intersecting same, of a chain secured at one end to said clamping member and adapted at its other end to be passed around a log and detachably secured with one link in said slot and the next outer link resting within said intersecting recess, whereby said chainmay be tightened or released around said log upon the movement of said clamp member, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a clamp member provided with a cam surface adapted to engage a log, a chain secured at one end to said clamp member and adapted to be detachably connected at its other end to said clamp member, and a tooth pivotally connected on one of the links of said chain and adapted to engage and bite said log, substantially as described.

7 In a device for towing logs, clamping means for securing a chain around a log comprising a solid member having its underneath edge cut away longitudinally in an angular direction and forming a recess enlarged at one end and terminating in cam surfaces adapted to engage a log, the face of said member opposite said cam surfaces being provided with a slot communicating with said enlarged recess and also being provided with a transverse recess laterally intersecting said slot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM Z. WILKINSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. OPDERMEYER, ROBERT O. PENNINGTON. 

